Under DEFRA’s Simpler Recycling policy, from 31 March 2026 the default (but non-statutory) expectation is that councils introduce a separate container for paper and card in order to separate that material from other recycling, unless there are clear reasons not to.
Any council wishing to collect paper and card in the same container as other dry recyclables, such as glass bottles, cans, tins and plastic tubs, must carry out a process known as a ‘TEEP’ assessment – this means examining whether separate collections would be Technically, Environmentally or Economically Practicable.
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have now completed their TEEP assessments which concluded that introducing a separate collection for paper and card was not the right option for the districts.
As a result, the councils will continue with their all-in-one bin approach to dry recycling collections, meaning residents will not be asked to use additional recycling containers. The assessments will be kept under review in line with national policy developments.